University of Virginia Library

FRAGMENT OF A FAIRY ROMANCE.

Mary, did you ever hear
Of the frolic fairies, dear?
They're a little, blessed race,
Peeping up in Fancy's face,
In the valley, on the hill,
By the fountain and the rill;
Laughing out between the leaves
That the loving Summer weaves;
Sailing in a nut-shell, set
Down a tiny rivulet,
With a rose-leaf for a sail,
Swelling to the mimic gale;
Riding on a humming-bird,
Guiding him with magic word;
Struggling with a butterfly,
On a blossom fresh and fair,
With a laughing lip and eye,
For the clearest dew-drop there;
Eating from its honey-cup
All the poor bee's breakfast up;
Hiding in the sunny sheaf,
Sleeping on a lily leaf,
Dancing ever on the moss
That doth wear the greenest gloss,
With their little lightning feet,—
Did you ever see them, sweet?
Waving soft their balmy wings
O'er the infant's slumber meek,
Circling it in airy rings,
Breathing roses on its cheek;
Well they love their watch to keep
O'er all pure and guileless things—
Gentle children—happy flowers—
Singing to them in their sleep,
Through the holy starlight hours
Smiling still their beds above,—
Did you ever feel them, love?
Did you ever, dearest? No?
Do not look in sorrow so,—
Hear the story, Mary mine,
Of the fairy Rosoline;
Such her pretty name, because,
Keeper of the Rose she was;—
Her's to watch the blushing flower,
Fan it in the noontide hour,
Bid the lazy zephyr fly,
Lest her drooping charge should die,
And with murmured elfin-charm
Save it from the insect's harm.
Once, in pleasant moonlight weather,
Lots of fairies met together,—
Busy creatures! what a bustle!
How their silken winglets rustle!
How their tongues, so tiny, rattle
With their low, melodious prattle!
How the rovers come and go
“On the light, fantastic toe!”
You'd have thought a bee was there,
Buzzing in the balmy air!
Pleased to see its starlight track,
One climbed up a glow-worm's back!
One within her golden hair
Wreathed a row of feathers rare,
Borrowed, with imploring eye,
From a beaming butterfly!
Two, that loved to play see-saw,
On a pebble laid a straw;
But another roguish one,
Fully bent on fairy fun,
Crept behind them while at play,
And the pebble pulled away;
How the stones, for minutes after,
Echoed to their silvery laughter!
One, from off the slippery straw,
Straight into a raindrop fell,
Soaked her pretty pinions well;
While her wiser playmate saw
How things went,—and so the elf,
Spread her wings and saved herself;
But the loveliest of the throng,
And the merriest, Mary mine,
Was the heroine of my song,
Was the fairy Rosoline!
Hidden in her favorite rose,
Rocking when the zephyr chose;
There she lay and bubbles blew,
With a tulip's pistil fine,
Dipping in a drop of dew,
While each circle as it flew,
Wore that tiny form's reflection,
Resting in her flower's protection.
She had seen the day before,
Children by a cottage door,
She had watched them fling in play,
Bubbles to the sunset ray;
And had kept the secret sweet,
Till the fairy band should meet.
Well! the others saw the bubble,
And exclaimed in pleasant trouble,
“What a beautiful balloon!
Is she going to the moon?
Sure the form is Rosoline's,
That within the crystal shines;
Ah! 'tis broken in the air,
And no shining form is there!
Fell she in the blossom bright?
Yes! from out the rose's heart,
Bearing still that shape of light,
See another circle start.
One by one they soar on high,
One by one they break and die;
But each globe that rises there,
Doth the same bright image bear,
Rosoline upon her rose,
Rosoline in soft repose!
Now—ere one is burst, another
Follows fast its beaming brother:
Rare! to see the wonders shine,
And in each a Rosoline!”
Suddenly a laugh, that stirred
All the rose's leaves was heard;—
When the fairies gathered round,
Wondering what the meaning should be,
Roguish Rosoline they found,
Quiet and demure as could be;
With her pipe her lips below,
Ready for another blow.
Then the throng in accents gay,
One and all did freely say,
Rosoline out-fairied fairies,
With her beautiful vagaries.